2012 Superstorm Sandy Relief and Recovery Efforts

UPDATED: November 27, 2012

Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by Superstorm Sandy. The Atlantic’s 10^th named storm of the 2012 season already has caused dozens of deaths in the Caribbean island nations and the United States, in addition to untold damage from winds, rain, and snow.

As we do during times of disaster, Maryland Philanthropy Network will serve as a clearinghouse for resources and information about relief efforts. Our website will be updated as new information is received, so please check it regularly.

Our colleagues at the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) are actively monitoring the storm, and keeping abreast of what local and national funders - including Maryland Philanthropy Network members - are doing in response, as well as how various organizations will meet human needs. They will be sharing information that they collect and offering unique analysis of the storm's impact on their website, DisasterPhilanthropy.org at its Hurricane Sandy hub.

The CDP has also established the CDP Hurricane Sandy Disaster Fund as well as a hotline for strategic philanthropic advice/assistance at (206) 972-0187. They hosted a call for funders about the storm on October 31st. An audio recording of the entire call is available here.

The Baltimore Community Foundation has provided the following list of agencies that are providing assistance in our area to assist donors: 

• American Red Cross is poised to provide disaster relief in the Central Maryland region.
• The Maryland Food Bank is a central distribution point for food pantries across the state.
• The Salvation Army has been providing disaster assistance for over 100 years. 

Check out Maryland’s Community Foundations for further information on local and regional funds to assist Marylanders in need. And, for those in need United Way of Central Maryland, has provided the following information to assist you.

Maryland Philanthropy Network is coordinating response efforts with other associations of grantmakers in our region. For information about how to help outside of Maryland, please visit these websites:

• Connecticut Council for Philanthropy
• Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
• Delaware Grantmakers Maryland Philanthropy Network
• Delaware Valley Grantmakers
• Philanthropy New York
• West Virginia Grantmakers Maryland Philanthropy Network

Maryland Philanthropy Network MEMBERS PHILANTHROPIC RESPONSES

Maryland Philanthropy Network members are acting swiftly and generously to support relief efforts.

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation will donate $1 million to support relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Sandy including $500,000 to the American Red Cross Hurricanes 2012 fund.

Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore

The Community Foundation's Disaster Relief Fund benefits Lower Eastern Shore organizations serving victims of Hurricane Sandy and will match the first $5,000 received.

The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region 

CFNCR has established the Neighbors in Need: Sandy Relief fund, which will provide funds to nonprofits throughout our region offering hurricane relief services over the coming days and weeks. These funds will help nonprofit organizations provide the food, shelter, and support that our neighbors need to recover from the storm.

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

The Weinberg Foundation will donate up to $1 million to assist with ongoing relief efforts in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The Weinberg Foundation is awarding a series of specific grants to several different organizations, working directly with storm victims, to provide both short-term and long-term assistance. Please click here to learn more.

United Way of Central Maryland 

The United Way system has established the United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund to serve a special role.  Although the fund will be managed (without fee) by United Way of New York City, United Ways along the Eastern Seaboard will use the United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund to address both near-term and long-term recovery needs of communities most affected by the hurricane. Contributions to the Fund will be used by local United Ways in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington DC and West Virginia where needed most, specifically in communities where FEMA has declared disaster areas. Any contributions made to this fund through United Way of Central Maryland (UWCM) will be handled without fee by UWCM.

Please let us know how you are engaged in relief efforts. Grant amounts, assisted organizations, and any other relief work that your organization undertakes will serve as valuable resources as your grantmaking colleagues craft response strategies.

BEST PRACTICES IN DISASTER GRANTMAKING

A joint study of the European Foundation Centre and the Council on Foundations determined that grantmakers can be more effective and strategic in addressing disasters by following eight principles of good disaster management.

1. Do no harm.
2. Stop, look and listen before taking action.
3. Don't act in isolation.
4. Think beyond the immediate crisis to the long term.
5. Bear in mind the expertise of local organizations.
6. Find out how prospective grantees operate.
7. Be accountable to those you are trying to help.
8. Communicate your work widely and use it as an educational tool.

A number of practical suggestions for good disaster grantmaking flow from these principles and are highlighted in this free guide. Click here to read more and download "Disaster Grantmaking: A Practical Guide for Foundations and Corporations" as well as the Donors Guide to Giving After a Disaster.